Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Suginami-ku Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Suginami-ku

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Tokyo vs $1,203 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Tokyo vs $1,949 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Tokyo vs $2,695 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 37% more than Suginami-ku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 20% above the global median, while Suginami-ku is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,137

$6.19 ¥964

18.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,776

$43.65 ¥6,793

-14.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥774

$4.90 ¥763

1.63%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥567

$3.38 ¥527

7.99%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥262

$1.04 ¥161

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.80 ¥124

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥568

$2.45 ¥381

48.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥788

$3.22 ¥500

57.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.38 ¥214

12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥268

$1.71 ¥265

0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥922

$3.71 ¥577

59.57%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥347

$2.07 ¥323

7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,769

$11.61 ¥1,808

-2.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,194

$6.06 ¥943

26.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,130

$14.43 ¥2,246

39.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥806

$5.65 ¥879

-8.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥391

$2.68 ¥417

-6.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥722

$2.82 ¥439

64.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥920

$4.24 ¥660

39.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥551

$2.62 ¥407

35.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥536

$2.60 ¥404

32.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥189

$1.28 ¥200

-4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥133

$0.74 ¥116

16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥618

$3.67 ¥571

8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,484

$6.36 ¥990

49.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$1.73 ¥269

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥472

$2.06 ¥321

47.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥191

$1.44 ¥224

-14.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.5K

$51.8 ¥8,057

30.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥492

$3.18 ¥496

-0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.43 ¥378

25.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,824

$20.03 ¥3,118

-9.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.05 ¥163

-0.95%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.5K ¥3.4M

0.79%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$17.9K ¥2.8M

-17.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$157 ¥24.4K

$129 ¥20.1K

21.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.07 ¥3,435

$24.39 ¥3,796

-9.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,702

$31.96 ¥4,975

-5.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,734

$56.5 ¥8,791

10.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,941

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,914

$12.62 ¥1,965

-2.54%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,300 ¥202.3K

$633 ¥98.5K

105.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

21.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥7,970

$60.8 ¥9,455

-15.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,035

$32.25 ¥5,019

0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,740

$59.9 ¥9,317

4.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$100 ¥15.6K

-25.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥191.5K

$469 ¥73.0K

162.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥102.7K

$298 ¥46.4K

121.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥368.5K

$1,056 ¥164.4K

124.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥211.3K

$790 ¥122.9K

71.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,552 ¥708.4K

92.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥613.9K

$1,860 ¥289.5K

112.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥442.5K

$2,792 ¥434.5K

1.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

-3.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Suginami-ku: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Tokyo versus $469 in Suginami-ku. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo versus $44.00 in Suginami-ku. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Tokyo vs $292 in Suginami-ku – so Suginami-ku wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tokyo vs Suginami-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 37% more than Suginami-ku, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,480 per month in Tokyo and $1,805 in Suginami-ku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suginami-ku, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Suginami-ku. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,300 per month in Tokyo and $633 in Suginami-ku. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suginami-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,203, than in Tokyo at $1,653. In Suginami-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suginami-ku costs $1,203 versus $1,653 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Suginami-ku. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.